Plants perennial. Stems erect or ascending, 1-5(-7) dm. Leaves opposite (whorled); blade linear-lanceolate to lanceolate or elliptic, 8-15(-20) × 2-6 mm. Pedicels ascending in fruit, 20-50 mm, longer than subtending leaf. Flowers: sepals 5, calyx divided to ca. 1/2, 4-6 mm, shorter than corolla, margins entire, narrowly scarious, apex acute to acuminate; petals 5, corolla blue or red, salverform (almost rotate) to slightly campanulate, 5-12 mm. Capsules 5-7 mm. Seeds 20-45. 2n = 22 (Europe).

Flowering spring-fall. Coastal sage scrub or dune swales; 0-700 m; introduced; Calif., Va.; sw Europe; nw Africa.